Review Time....Hiding From Reality by Taylor Armstrong

by Brittany Geragotelis

Review Time: Hiding From Reality by Taylor Armstrong

The Story: NOT EVERY FAIRY TALE HAS A HAPPY ENDING. . . . Reality hit Taylor Armstrong hard one tragic evening last August when she found the body of her estranged husband, Russell, hanging in his California home. Fans across the country were shocked at the horrific news of his death and even more shocked to discover that behind the glittering “reality” of Taylor’s life on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills lurked a painful story of emotional and physical abuse that she had been terrified to tell.

With searing honesty, Taylor candidly examines her difficult journey from the abusive home in which she was born to the low self-esteem that kept her constantly on the run from herself, to the tumultuous marriage that ended in suicide, and ultimately to her realization that only by sharing her moving story could she help other women.

Taylor and her husband Russell Armstrong. In her book, Taylor discusses the events that led up to Russell's shocking suicide.

Why It's a Must-Read: The first "Real Housewives" that I fell in love with was the cast from Beverly Hills. I found them to be the most entertaining and interesting, and was happy that there weren't any physical fights (I'm looking at you Jersey cast). I was always fascinated with Taylor Armstrong, the beautiful yet tiny woman who was married with a young daughter. As I watched the seasons progress, it became increasingly clear that she was in an abusive relationship. And then when the news broke that her husband, Russell, had committed suicide....well, my desire to read Taylor's book to hear the real story grew. 

What you get through reading Taylor's book is what seems like an honest look at what it's like to be in an abusive relationship. You could feel her heartache and hopelessness throughout, and even begin to understand what she was going through. It didn't feel like Taylor had written the book with the intentions of making her ex out to be a villain. In fact, considering everything she went through, one wouldn't blame her if she had been a little more one-sided in her recollections. But that's not what Hiding From Reality is about. Domestic abuse is a problem and I've known a few people who have been in similar dangerous situations themselves, and I found the book to be helpful in trying to begin to understand what it's like to be stuck in a situation like this. It's well-written, honest and harrowing.

What a Character: Like I said before...I was always a fan of Taylor. And when we began to discover the abuse she was dealing with, I felt for her. The book actually gave a much more detailed look at her life growing up--what led her to look for men who were either unavailable or not right for her, why she gravitated toward unhealthy relationships and how she made it to Beverly Hills and onto the show. Though it's difficult to understand why a person would stay with a man who beats her and belittles her, the book really does try to explain the complicated feelings that are involved in an abusive relationship. In the end, the reader is left with hope. Hope that those who are in these kinds of situations may get out of them (alive) and that they can (hopefully) stop the cycle of abuse.

A Little Something Extra: Amidst the seriousness of her memoir, I was psyched to hear that Taylor was a cheerleader growing up and that she was even a staff instructor for the organization NCA (National Cheerleaders Association), which was coincidentally, the same cheer group that I taught for for five years! (Fun Fact: Another "Desperate Housewife" that called herself a NCA staff instructor? Eva Longoria!) And if I know cheerleaders, I know that they're strong and they can persevere through any tough times. I have high hopes that Taylor will end up on top.

Follow her on Twitter @TaylorArmstrong and then go out and buy her book!

5x5,
B.

A great interview and Fashion Star

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all!

Just a quick stop-by to let you know about this really great interview by the very cool Roxie...she was kind enough to feature me as one of her spotlighted authors on her book blog, and it turned out really great! So, please, be sure to check it out and then let your friends know about it, too!

Writing's coming along steadily....I'm writing 10 pages a day of the prequel/spin-off of Life's a Witch, called What the Spell? and I'm already 170 pages in! I've still got about a hundred pages to go before I'll be finished, but the story's shaping up. For those of you who were fans of LAW, WTS is going to definitely be an adventure. See, it's a prequel, so it takes place the year before LAW begins and is focused on Asher and his ex-girlfriend (yes, there was a girl before Hadley!). Brooklyn is the exact opposite of Hadley, but definitely an interesting character that I think you'll identify with. Anyways, I'm having fun with the magic again and can't wait for you all to read it!

On another note completely, I tuned in to the new show, "Fashion Star" last night and totally loved it. It was very inspirational and I think no matter what your passion is--be it acting, singing, designing, writing, etc--it's a great reminder to follow your dreams and never give up. And watching the stores duke it out for the clothes is exciting--kind of reminded me of my own auction for Life's a Witch!

Okay, gotta get back to writing now!

5x5,
B.

Love me some Dirty Soap

by Brittany Geragotelis

There are a lot of new shows this season that I'm enjoying: "Ringer," "Hart of Dixie," "The Secret Circle," "Whitney," "PanAm" (RIP) and "The Playboy Club" (RIP) to name a few. I'm really digging them all. But there's one show that I am absolutely OBSESSED with, and that's "Dirty Soap."

"DS" is a new reality show on E! that follows a group of young actors/actresses who are Soap stars. Now, I've been a fan of "General Hospital" since I was a little kid, because my mom always had the show on in the afternoons. In other words, I've grown up watching it. I don't really have the time to watch it anymore, but given the longevity of some of the characters on the show, I happen to know a couple of the actresses who are on "Dirty Soap." That's not to say I know everyone on the show, but I don't think you necessarily need to know them to enjoy it. The bottom line is that "DS" is good, dirty, drama-filled fun. And the more you watch, the more you'll get to know the players, anyway.

The "DS" cameras follow around Farah Fath ("One Life to Live"; dating John-Paul Lavoisier), Kirsten Storms ("General Hospital"; former BFF's with Farah, now they're enemies), Jenna Gering (actress and model; married to Galen), Galen Gering ("Days of our Lives"; married to Jenna), Kelly Monaco ("General Hospital"; winner of the first season of "Dancing With the Stars"), Brandon Beemer ("The Bold and the Beautiful"; dating Nadia Bjorlin), Nadia Bjorlin (formerly of "Days of our Lives"; dating Brandon Beemer) and John-Paul Lavoisier ("One Life to Live"; dating Farah Fath). And just because the show's not scripted, doesn't mean there's a shortage of fabulous storylines. We're talking cat fights, love spats, love scenes and breakups...what's not to like? It's deliciously dirty and something you just have to watch.

So what do you guys think about "Dirty Soap?"

5x5,
B.

Cheer camp with the Kardashians....

by Brittany Geragotelis

So, a week ago, I headed off to Ontario, CA, to go to The Spirit Consultants cheer camp with Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and Corinne Foxx. The week was long and full of screaming girls, but totally worth it, because I was able to get a really sweet segment on Access Hollywood about Kendall being on our cover in May and Corinne being our December cover girl. Yay me!

But what was SUPER exciting was that on the last day of camp, "Keeping up with the Kardashians" was filming at the camp! And get this: the whole Kardashian clan was there. Well, except for Kim. She must have been off figuring out last-minute details for her fabulous wedding, which is less than a week away! But the rest of them were there....here's the run-down:
Kris, Bruce, Mason, Kourtney, Khloe and Lamar!

The girls looked beautiful as always and I even scored some one-on-one time with Kourtney, talking to her about how she was the perfect size to be a cheerleader. She explained that there wasn't a cheer squad when Kim and her were in school, but that they took dance classes for a few weeks during that time. It turns out, Kourtney was actually a big soccer player. But she was super psyched to see Kendall and Kylie in their element.

She wasn't the only one though...Khloe was taking pictures the entire time and then later posted them on her blog. And when the girls first came out onto the floor to compete in the camp cheer contest, Lamar attempted to do a high kick. Granted with limbs as long as his (I went up to his hip), he nearly fell down in the process.

Everyone was SO nice and they were all so proud of Kendall and Kylie! You could tell that they're really a family that cheers on each other. Anyway.....here are some pics I took from the VIP section of the camp. Yep, that's right...I was in the same section as the Kardashians! They don't have a cheer magazine reality show yet...don't you think they should?

5x5,
B.

Kendall and Kylie at cheer camp!

by Brittany Geragotelis

Hey all!

As you might know, I'm at cheer camp this week...with Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and Corinne Foxx (Jamie Foxx's daughter)! I'm having so much fun, but don't worry--I'm doing a lot work while I'm here too! Case in point, check out the segment on Access Hollywood that I set up on Monday! Pretty amazing, huh?


5x5,
B.

A $2 million dollar engagement ring?

by Brittany Geragotelis

By now the whole world's probably heard that Kim Kardashian is about to be made into an honest woman. Yes, after a whopping 6 months of dating (five months longer than the dating time-frame of her younger sister Khloe and Lamar), NBA player Kris Humphries popped the question to the Kardashian Mogul last week on May 18th. Yes, you read that right...they got engaged on MY BIRTHDAY! That makes the news extra special!

photo credit: Daily News

The other thing that's special about the engagement? Uh, the 20.5 carats that's now sitting on her finger and the reported $2 mill that Kris paid to get her to say "yes!" After that, I got curious about what other celeb's rings were like. Here's a rundown of some of the hottest celebs and the rocks that made them want to don a wedding dress.


Khloe Kardashian (& Lamar Odom); Cost: $850,000; Carats: 9

photo credit: US Magazine

Ashlee Simpson (& Pete Wentz); Cost: $150,000; Carats: 4

photo credit: CelebrityBrideGuide.com

Reese Witherspoon (& Jim Tosh); Cost: $250,000; Carats: 4

photo credit: fashionallure.com

Paris Hilton (& Paris Kasidokostas Latsis); Cost: $4,700,000; Carats: 24

photo credit: iLively.com

Nicole Richie (& Joel Madden); Cost: $75,000; Carats: 6

photo credit: BuzzNet

Katie Holmes (& Tom Cruise); Cost: $100,000; Carats: 6

photo credit: Herald Sun

Katherine Heigl (& Josh Kelley); Cost: $65,000; Carats: 4

photo credit: CBS News

Kristen Bell (& Dax Shepard); Cost: $100,000; Carats: 3

photo credit: SheKnows

Heidi Klum (& Seal); Cost: $150,000; Carats: 10

photo credit: VH1

Gisele Bundchen (& Tom Brady); Cost: $145,000; Carats: 5

photo credit: PopSugar

Christina Aguilera (& Jordan Bratman); Cost: $78,500; Carats: 5

photo credit: Yahoo

Carrie Underwood (& Mike Fisher); Cost: $150,000; Carats: 5

photo credit: People.com

Beyonce (& Jay-Z); Cost: $5,000,000; Carats: 18

photo credit: HollyScoop.com

Jennifer Anniston (& Brad Pitt); Cost: $500,000

photo credit: PopSugar

So, which ring is your fave? Leave your answer in the comments below!


5x5,
B.

You don't have to turn off your TV til Fall

by Brittany Geragotelis

If you're like me, summer used to be a bummer time for me. Beyond the fact that I'm an adult now and no longer get three months off to relax and recoup, the warmer time of year meant that all my favorite TV shows would be going on hiatus and I'd be stuck watching re-runs or crap-TV.

Luckily a few years ago, networks got smart and started to realize that we need our TV year round and began to offer new shows during the summer months. This was a TV lover's dream of course, and I've been in heaven ever since.

So, what shows will I be watching over the next few months? Here are a few I'll be tuning in to:

photo credit: ABCFamily/
The NineLives of Chloe King

"The Nine Lives of Chloe King" (ABC Family) premieres June 14th
Chloe soon learns she's part of an ancient race which has been hunted by human assassins for millennia—and that she may be their only hope for ultimate survival.

photo credit: ABCFamily/PLL

"Pretty Little Liars" (ABC Family) premieres June 14th
Four teens are being stalked by their dead best friend, while trying to find her killer.

photo credit: Oxygen/The Glee Project

"The Glee Project" (Oxygen) premieres June 12th
From the makers of the show, executives are doing a contest to find the next "Glee" star.

photo credits: Oxygen/The World
Accordingto Paris

"The World According to Paris" (Oxygen) premieres June 1st
What it's like to be a rich and famous heiress.

photo credit: ABCFamily/
Switched at Birth

"Switched at Birth" (ABC Family) premieres June 6th
Two teenage girls discover they were accidentally switched as newborns in the hospital

photo credit: NBC/Love Bites

"Love Bites" (NBC) premeires June 2nd
An hour-long romantic comedy anthology series featuring three loosely connected modern stories of love, sex, marriage and dating. Each vignette will involve an array of guest stars.



What do you think? Are any of these shows going to make it onto your TiVo this summer? Or is your TV watching on hiatus for the summer?

5x5,
B.

Lauren Conrad—Author, Reality Star or Both?

by Brittany Geragotelis

Okay, I know I'm a little late on this one, but I finally picked up (and read) a copy of Lauren Conrad's young adult book L.A. Candy. And although it by no means knocked my socks off (nor was it anything particularly new), it was a fun beach read.

photo credits: NYMag/HaperCollins

Now I'm not exactly a "Laguna Beach" or "The Hills" fan—I mean, I've seen a season or two, but I certainly wasn't obsessed with this reality show the way I am with, say, "Tori & Dean" or "Keeping Up With the Kardashians"—but I'm always interested in the books that celebs end up writing. I know that a lot of authors (and various other book types) cringe when they hear that another celeb has published a book. The argument of course is always that the celeb in question didn't write it and is just passing off someone else's work as their own. Another gripe is that celebs are practically begged to write books (whether they want to or have the talent to), when the rest of us aspiring writers have to practically beg someone to even read our query letters.

So, I know I'm probably going to be asked for my author membership card back (metaphorically speaking) for saying this, but I'm usually fascinated with reading a celeb's book. And Lauren's book didn't disappoint. It was enjoyable with a tinge of realism to it....probably because the fiction in this story easily paralleled Lauren's own life. Here's the gist of L.A. Candy:

Jane and Scarlett are best friends and do everything together: they moved to L.A. together, share an apartment together as well as all their secrets...and now they're starring in a new reality show together. As they say, "They're sort of a package deal." So, when a big-time Hollywood producer discovers them in a club and tells them he wants to make them the stars of his new reality show, the two California girls sign on, hoping to take their friendship in a new direction. What they didn't count on though, was that having cameras following them around 24/7 would actually drive a wedge between them. Now, they're discovering things about the other at the same time everyone else in the world is—on the small screen—and the two are getting a heavy dose of reality...their own.

So, like I said...L.A. Candy is a fun, beachy read. If you're looking for a little gossip and even possibly some insight into what life might've been like for LC all those years on MTV, you should definitely check it out.

Anyone else read Lauren's book? What did you think? Leave your comments below!

5x5,
B.